Skyways projects in Hyderabad hit by Centre’s non-cooperation: KTR

Hyderabad: Telangana’s Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Tuesday said due to “non-cooperation” of the Centre, the state government could not take up work on two skyways in Hyderabad.

He said the state government already issued orders to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and was ready to spend Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crore on the two major skyways but works could not be taken up as some defence land needed to be acquired.

The skyways are proposed from Patny to Suchitra Junction, and the Jubilee Bus Stand to Outer Ring Road. Noting that there was no response from the Centre to the state’s request to hand over the defence lands, he alleged that the Centre failed to understand the problems of people of Hyderabad.

KTR, as the minister is popularly known, said if the Centre did not come forward, the state government would take up the work at Suchitra Junction with some changes in the proposal.

He was speaking while inaugurating Balanagar flyover, which will ease the traffic congestion in the area and facilitate easy movement of traffic from Kukatpally to the Cantonment and towards Qutbullahpur.

As the day coincided with the death anniversary of Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram, KTR announced that the bridge will be named after the late leader as a mark of tribute.

As a tribute to the workers who took part in the construction work of the Balanagar flyover, the minister invited Shivamma, a construction worker, to inaugurate the flyover by cutting the ribbon.

KTR said this was done to recognise and honour lakhs of workers who work hard to complete various works.

He said Hyderabad was heading step by step towards becoming a world-class city under the leadership of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

He pointed out that Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP) was taken up at a total cost of Rs 30,000 crore. Under the first phase taken up at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore, roads, bridges and underpasses were constructed.

The 1.13-km six-lane two-way Balanagar flyover has been built under the SRDP at a cost of Rs 387 crore.